
Book 



7 



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A SERMON, 



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n!E81DEXT OF THE rNlTF.D >TATE<. 



REV. S. L. YOUKTEE, A. M. 



OF THE {■IN'iNNvri CuNFEKEN' E. 



SPKINGI-'IELD, OHIO. 

XKWS AXn KEPUBLIC JOU I'RINTINC KlHlMS; 
18G.3. 



A SEKMON, 



DELIVERED IN THE CENTRAL M. E. CHURCH, SPRINGFIELD, OHIO, APRIL 19tH, 
1865, ON THE OCCASION OF THE 



PEESIDBNT OF THE UNITED STATES. 



REV. S. L. YOURTEE, A. 



OF THE CINCINNATI CONFERENCE. 



SPRINGFIELD, OHIO; 

NEWS AND REPUBLIC JOB PRINTING ROOMS: 

1866," 







Central M. E. Church, ) 
Springfield, Ohio, April 20th, 1865. j 

BEV. S. L. YOUETEE, 

Dear Brother: 

The Board of Trustees of 
the Central M. E. Church, by a resolution unanimously passed, 
request a copy of your Sermon, preached on the occasion of 
the Funeral of Abraham Lincoln, late President of the United 
States, for publication. .^ ^ MYEES, 

Secretary of the Board. 



THE SERMON. 



And it shall come to pass in that day, that the light shall not be 
clear, nor dark : But it shall be one day which shall be known to the 
Lord, not day, nor night : but it shall come to pass, that at evening 
time it shall be light. Zech. 14, 6-7. 

I will not occupy the consecrated hour setapart for the solemn 
funeral ceremonies of our late President, by indulging in the 
rehearsal of the oft-repeated, and hackneyed encomiums pro- 
nounced upon the illustrious dead. These have been in every 
newsj)aper, throughout the land, and on the lips of every child 
on our streets. Nor will I tax you by tracing the tragic scenes 
at Washington, in the dramatic language of Shakspeare, nor 
attempt to describe the fatal bullet by which the deed of dark- 
ness was committed. And, O, I would gladly forget a deed so 
foul and so fiendish, a blow that plunged a nation from the noon- 
tide of joy into the midnight of sorrow ! 

Our beloved President deceased, needs no eulogy from us to- 
day. His life, his noble deeds, are his best and most lasting 
panegyric. These have been written on the hearts and memories 
of the American people, never to be forgotten. 

Surely it is a query that 8j)rings up in every heart — '^What 
had Abraham Lincoln done that ho should be deliberately and 
brutally murdered? What officer, high or low, had exhibited 
such consideration, such candor, such thoughtfulness, such de- 
termination to deal justly, yet loving mercy? He was the/ac 
simile of thorough manhood enshrined in God's image. Scorns 
ed by the vicious, derided by the mean, he was the exemplifica- 
tion of the three crowning glories of the human soul — faithful, 
hopeful, charitable. Beneath that rough exterior, shone the 
most loving spirit, the most generous impulse, the most eleva- 
ted integrity. He was kind to a fault, and no man living was 
more tender, forgiving or true!" 

But our duty to-day seems more properly to be, with broken 
and contrite hearts, prayerfully to enquire after the lessons 



which God designs to teach us, by the solemn Providence, 
which has so suddenly robed the nation in sack-cloth and 
mourninc:. I'he death of a wise and good ruler is, at any time, 
a national calamity. What mean these emblems of sadness 
around me? They tell us that a "wail comes over the sea" of 
human affairs, and that a great and good man, in the nation, 
has fallen. 

And 3^et we sorrow not as those without hope, for although 
the foul demon of treason has assassinated our true and faith- 
ful Commander-in chief, the President, yet the American peo- 
ple live, the Eepublic is not dead. The fall of Mr. Lincoln shall 
not stop the nation's pi'ogress. He rose, not like a blazing com- 
et that rushes through the sky and is gone, but like a star, grad- 
ually rising, with increasing luster, until he covered the whole 
nation with a sheen of glory. And just as his own feet touched 
the borders of the land of universal freedom, and his eyes bo- 
held the redeemed millions coming up from the land of bondage 
and darkness, and entering into the land ol liberty and light, 
he was taken away. But though he is dead he yet speakcth, 
for his works do follow him. 

The language of the text refers to a dispensation of darkness 
in the history of the Jewish nation. The commencement of 
this chapter relates to the destruction of Jerusalem by the Ro- 
mans, and to the calamities consequent upon that event. — 
From this Jewish tragedy the Prophet immediately passes to 
the destruction of the enemies of Christianity in the latter day. 
After thislihe national prosperity of the Jews was to be perma- 
nent. And although they were under a dispensation of com- 
mingled darkness and lights oi judgment and mercy, yet they had 
the promise that mercy should triumph over judgment, and that 
at the close of that terrible calamity, they should have light, 
"At evening time it shall be light." And also, that the light 
of theglorious Grospel should go forth from Jerusalem, and next, 
from the Roman Empire, to every part of the earth, like streams 
of living waters, until all men should acknowledge that the 
"Lord is King over all the earth." 

What then are the lessons taught us by the sad event that 
has thrown us, as a nation, into a dispensation, in which, the 
"light is neither clear nor dark?" 

1. That God is the Supreme Elder of the nations of the earth — 
that he putteth down one, and setteth up another. 



The Lord hath prepared his throne in the Heavens, and his 
Kingdom ruleth over all. Darkness is round" about him — jus- 
tice and judgment arc the habitation of his throne. Far be- 
low our feeble gaze he "treasures up his bright designs" — and 
far above our limited comprehension he "works his sovereign 
will." At the present hour of our nation's history there seems 
to be neither clear light, nor yet dense darkness, but a strange 
and mysterious commingling of both — light, representing peace 
and prosperity — darkness, indicating adversity and sorrow. — 
And 3''et if we will but ascend the watch-towers, and look out 
over the land, we shall see that the distant horizon is already 
tinged with the twilight rays of the beautiful prophetic prom- 
ise — "At evening time it shall be light." 

Like the glorious flag before us, though draped with the em- 
blems of darkness and Avoe, yet wo still see its beautiful stars, 
peering out from behind its weeds of sorrow. 

Of the terrible calamity that has befallen us as a people, there 
are many and different versions. It has been said, by some, 
that God has permitted Abraham Lincoln, to be taken away, 
at the present crisis of our national affairs, because he was dis- 
posed to deal too mercifully with the rebels. This may be even 
so, and it may not, we can not tell. God's ways are inscruta- 
ble, and past finding out. Yet we know He is good, and dooth 
all things well. And although v\'e bow in silent avre and sub- 
mission, at the shrine of these apparently dark Providences, yet 
even through these mysterious shades, faith taking the torch 
of divine truth, may find a safe path, and shed sufficient light 
to give us assurance and rest. The Supreme Euler has not ab- 
dicated the throne of universal dominion nor delegated the di- 
rection of our national affairs to chance, nor has he made over 
the triumph to the ambition of men, nor the victory to the as- 
sassin. Though the wicked may seem to prevail yet their tri- 
umph is short. Over and above all inferior aj^encies there is 
an all-pervadinginfluencethat directs, and an all-comprehen- 
sive wisdom that controls. Dark as the country is at this sad 
hour, let us be assured that thingrs are not left to go at random. 
Though the people may be wicked and rebellious, the Sover- 
eign lias not removed his dominion over them. He that still- 
eth the raging of the sea, and the tumult of its waves, can also 
still the madness of the people. The most oppressive and de- 



6 

struct! ve agents are sometimes his mysterious ministers — "the 
wicked are his sword" — they are carrying on, though uncon- 
sciously, his universal plan — a plan which, though complicat- 
ed, is consistent ; though apparently disorderly, will be found in 
the end harmonious. 

It will greatly aid us too, in reconciling us to the sad events 
of the day, to bear in mind that there is a permissive Provi- 
dence exercised by the Supreme Euler of the universe, over the 
destinies of men and nations. There is not an earthquake that 
rocks the globe, nor a flash that leaps from the cloud, nor a bud 
that opens in secluded beauty, but has been unprisoned, and 
sent forth on its chartered mission, by Him that ruleth over 
all. From the pebble on the strand, to the planet in the skyj 
He makes all things serve his sovereign will. 

God made man with powers to will and to do. He possesses 
a volition, in the use of which, he may do, or he may not do, 
and when he commits a deed, he is held responsible to God for 
that deed. And when we say that Abraham Lincoln was cruel- 
ly murdered by the hand of the dire assassin, we admit that 
God knew it all before, that he was cognizant of the entire con- 
spiracy. Bat "let him do zY," seems the word of God's permis- 
sive providence. This is not unfrequently a blessed provi- 
dence of God. Grace takes up this doctrine of the permis- 
sive providence of the great and Supreme Euler of the universe, 
and teaches us, that it works for the good of those who suffer — 
not for the good of the murderous assassin — but, in this case 
for the good of the nation, and it may be a greal blessing be- 
yond the conceptions of men. Then let us be careful lest we 
charge Divine Providence with deeds of darkness or of crime. — 
God knew this — all this — but his knowledge is not the cause. — 
While God knows and holds man responsible for his acts, He 
does not compel or drive him to their commission. The king- 
doms of the earth are the kingdoms of this wise and good Euler. 
He gives life and he takes it away. Other good men have fal- 
len, and others have been raised up. The workmen die, but 
the work goes on. The charioteer drops from his seat, but an- 
other seizes the reins and drives on. One star may be blotted 
out from our glorious national galaxy, but others will shine on, 
the more brilliantly. 

2. But another lesson taught us, in connection with the nation's 



loss is, that it is an unchangeable principle of Divine Government to 
bring light out of darkness or good out of evil. 

We have been mourning since Saturday morning. We know 
that such an event as has befallen us, was to the nation a most 
terrible calamity. The rebels finding that they could not con- 
quer, they must then thrust a dagger into the heart of Abraham 
Lincoln and his Premier, and put them out of the way. By t^is 
act God permits the darkest night to spread over our land, that 
was ever known. But, thank God, amid this midnight gloom the 
whole area of American history is not all darkness. Behold 
these flags that hang over the pulpit! see that golden Eagle — 
that glorious bird of beauty, that has been borne in triumph, 
over many a bloody battle field ; she is quietly nestled among 
the stars — emblems of hope and promise — and triumphantly 
perched, on the stripes of blood-bought peace and beauty. They 
are also tied with weeds of mourning, emblems of our sad histo- 
ry, but we submit, conscious of the truth of the principle, that 
God will bring light out of darkness. "At evening time there 
shall be light." 

The world never saw a darker night than when the garden 
of Eden was shrouded in death. Its beautiful flowers were all 
stained with blood. The pall of blackness and despair fell upon 
it, and the world was at once plunged into the darkness of hell. 
But out of this midnight, there shines a radiance — the promise 
of a Eedeemer. 

Behold the history of the Deluge. The world is covered 
with waters. The whole human family, save eight souls, per- 
ish in the flood. These survive, and out of that dark night, 
they shed the light of literature, religion, and the Bible, and 
the world emerges from its desolation, and "in the evening 
time there is light." Take the instance of the greatest conspi- 
racy ever known in history. "Go to, let us build us a city, and 
a tower, whose top may reach unto Heaven ; and let us make 
us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the 
whole earth." But God confounded their 'language — caused 
their confederacy to become a great blessing to mankind, and 
brought out of their confusion, all the varied languages of the 
world. 

That, too, was a dark night when the lad Joseph, most cruel- 
ly envied by his brethren, was cast into a pit, despised, sold in- 



8 

to Egypt as a slave, calumniated, incarcerated, and released to 
interpret the dreams of the king. A dark night to that be- 
reaved old father -w^hen the coat, the coat of many colors, that 
father's gift, was presented to him dyed in blood. An evil beast 
hath surely devoured him. "Joseph is no doubt rent in pieces." 
"I will go down into the grave to my son mourning." But God 
brought a bright morning out of this dark night — the distant 
horizon began to show streaks of golden light. This same 
Joseph released, elevated, put in power, becomes next to the 
King — rides in his chariot of state, and in his wise supervision 
of the affairs of the kingdom, provides food for all the people of 
Egypt, and receives and provides for, and blesses that same old 
father, and all his kindred. Take another instance. The 
Lord JesusXhrist was taken by wicked hands and crucified. — 
The little band of disciples are dispirited and dismayed. Our 
best friend, they say, is lost. "We trusted that it had been he 
who would have redeemed Israel." But they have led him away 
and have killed him — all our hopes are gone. But be not dis- 
mayed. God permitted those wicked men to commit their 
deeds of darkness, and of blood, but wait a little while. As we 
look, and behold there is neither darkness nor light — neither 
midnight darkness nor clear light — but the morning star arises,' 
the rocking sepulcher gives intimations that the sun is rising ; 
the golden light is tipping the tops of the mountains. Out of 
that very night arose the "Light of the world," the "Sun of 
Eighteousness with healing in his wings." 

Look at the history of the Eeformation. The first great agent 
in this work was Melancthon. Apostle as ho was, of a sweet 
temper, mild, generous, noble, yet he had not the iron will of 
Luther. He furnished the materials, Luther reared the edifice. 
The world saw another darker night at the beginning of 
the IGth century. And yet, on that palpable night, arose the 
blessed morning of the Eeformation. Wo now see a Luther, 
raised up by God for the work. We hear him say, "I will go 
to Worms, if there be as many devils there as there are tiles on 
the roofs of their houses." Not the craven, cowardly, spirit 
crying out, "Sic Semper Tyrannis" but the God-iike spirit that 
meets the foe and conquers the world, in the name of God. "In 
hoc signio vinces." 

Here, now, a strange providence of » similar character, over- 



9 

takes us. Abraham Lincoln was raised up by God for the ftccom- 
plishment of a special work. So in the case m Cyrus. So in 
the case of Moses. God permitted Mooea to ascend the heights 
of Nebo. He had finished the work for which he was specially 
raised up. He gazes with a longing eye to look at the prom- 
ised land, but he never entered therein. He died and God 
buried him. So with Mr. Lincoln. Never was a President of 
these- United States,Traised up in a -darker time. What a four 
years of toil and labor has he endured. No one should say ono 
word against him. The terrible slaughter of the American 
people pressed terribly and sorely upon bim. He saw no other 
way than to wade through that blood with hisjbeloved fellow- 
citizens. He must carry them through — he must close his 
eyes in death, God mysteriously permitting him to be taken 
out of the world, just as he gains the top of the mountain, and 
beholds his people about to enter into their possessions — ^hia 
kind and gentle spirit, like Melancthon's passes, away. — 
Now comes the Luther of the day — Andrew Johnson. Just the 
man to say what Luther did. Do you remember when An- 
drew Johnson and Jefferson Davis were both members of the 
Congress of the United States, when the Eebels first began to 
spout treason? Johnson said to Davis, "Sir, if I were President 
of the United States, I would arrest you as a traitor, I would 
try you for treason, and, by the Eternal, I would hang you as 
a traitor." What will be the feelings of Davis when he hears 
that Andrew Johnson is now indeed the President of the Uni- 
ted States? As he remembers those words they will make him 
tremble. You remember well, during the first year of the 
administration of Mr. Lincoln, how the people prayed for an 
Andrew Jackson, supposing that the now deceased President 
had not the iron will, the determining purpose, necessary for 
the position he was called to occupy. .But such a man is now 
President of the United States. No man, not possessing a 
good character, could have risen from a poor tailor boy. to Pres- 
ident of the United States. Look at him as a man of indomi- 
table will and unyielding purpose. The Eebels struck down 
their best friend when they killed Mr. Lincoln. The same 
blow that struek down our noble President, also raised up an- 
other man, who will deal with the rebels, with a "rod of iron." 
That shot killed only ono loyal man, but it slew thousands of 
2 



10 

rebels. They need such a man as Ben. Butler, and aucli a man 
they will have. Havel said that Mr. Lincoln was raised-np 
for a special purpose — a particular work? He has done that 
work. The funeral knell of the rebellion has been sounded. 
Lee and his army surrendered — Richmond is ours — the great 
work substanti-ally done — the lips of the enemy are sealed. 
And let me say hei*e that more has been said about Abraham 
Lincoln, during the four years of his administration, than has 
been said about Mr, Johnson. It has been said that Andrew 
Johnson wafe a "drunkard and a blasphemer." I am not here 
to apologize for wickedness in high places, neither am I here 
to slander rulers. History, the public record, and the intimate 
friends of Andrew Johnson, all give in their concurrent testi- 
mony, that he is neither a "drunkard nor a blasphemor." Even 
admitting that he was somewhat intoxicated on the day of his 
inauguration as Vice President, yet that does not brand him as 
a ''drunkard." Moreover he has made a solemn pledge not to 
taste a drop of intoxicating liquor while he is President of the 
United States. Let us then rally I'ound him who is now so 
providentially placed in the position of Chief Magistrate of this 
nation and not destroy the confidence of the people in him. If 
we do this, such calumnies will be but as the blast of the storm 
against the sturdy tree. The winds may rage, the tempest bo 
wild, but its roots are deep and fast in the earth, and take the 
stronger hold therein for the peltings without. Or as the faith- 
ful bricklayer in your streets with his mallet, heavy and strong, 
by every blow secures the more certainly a solid pavement, 
so this blow, this terrible blow, inflicted upon the nation, set- 
tles us down and cements our hearts more firmly together. Let 
this be a day of prayer though it be a midnight of darkness, 
yet there are streaks of light betokeningthe approaching dawn, 
the rising of the Sun. All will yet be well. We see in this foul 
murder the same spirit of treason that thrust the bayonet through 
the bodies of our sons and brothers, on the battle field — that took 
their skulls for drinking cups — the fiendish spirit that adorned it- 
seli with trinkets made of the bones of our gallant slain. Yes 
that same spirit in Washington, sent the bullet through the 
head of Mr. Lincoln. And this shows too, that the same spirit 
of treason would furnish bullets for you and me. None of us 
are safe from it. Some have said that they were sorry Mr. 



ii 

Lincoln went to the Theater, on that fatal night. I am not 
Borry. For so far as the dark deed of murder is concerned, it 
would have been committed any how. The place neither cor- 
rupts nor sanctifies the deed. If not there it would have been 
committed elsewhere, anywhere. Perhaps in t]}0 beautiful 
walks around the White House, where I have seen him, placid 
and mild. If not shot down there, yet somewhere else — for the 
die was cast, and the blood-thirsty assassin tracked and pursued 
him, like a beast of prey. 

There is yet more strange and difficult work before us. The 
work of reconstruction will be more difficult than the putting 
down the rebellion. We must stand by the man now President 
of the United States, and hold him up. Praj^-er must ^o up 
for him continually, nor must we suffer him to be calumniated. 
The whole history of the American people shows that God has 
raised up men among us for special occasions and special work. 
He raised up Washington, and he was permitted to live to enjoy 
the freedom for which hefought. But, O, how many dark nights 
did he experience before the light appeared I That was a dark 
night in American history, when Washington and hislittleband 
were encamped at Valley Forge, in Pennsylvania, but he lived 
through it all, lived to see the darkness give way and the light 
appear. "At evening time there shall be light." 

Let us take another instance illustrative of the same subject, 
God has caused even American slavery to praise him. He has 
80 overruled this iiorrible oppression of the poor Africans in this 
country, as to bring out of it the. redemption and evangeliza- 
tion of Africa. My venerable friend-'^ who is before me, and 
who has himself labored so long in Africa as a Jilissionary, 
knows well that white men cannot live therein sufficient num- 
bers to do all the work of spreading the Gospel over that land. 
They can only labor along the coast. But through the labors 
of emancipated slaves who have been raised up, in the Provi- 
dence of God, as ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and 
have gone back to their country, the glad tidings of salvation 
are sounded throughout the length and breadth of the land. 
God has thus made the wrath of man to praise him. Out of 
darkness he has brought light. The history of the Church 



•Rev. John Beja. 



12 

confirms this view of the subject. Considerthe Martyr, Steph- 
en. This good and amiable man, as his face shone, was taken, 
iiccased, laid hold of by wicked hands — a rabble, who, breaking 
out from all restraint — drew him out, stoned him and murdered 
him. Like the tree which in a moment, in the twinkling of an 
eye, by a sudden flash of lightning is shivered and rent in pieces, 
only by that very act scatters its splinters in all directions. If 
Stephen had not been stricken down and murdered, the Apostles 
would have remained in one narrow circle, revolving round and 
round, intimidated and afraid. But their leader being thus 
etricken down, they went everywhere, some one way and some 
another, "preaching the word" of God. 

3. Another jmndple in the divine government is, thatr the period 
of darkness in one age is the purifying process for the next — the 
night that extinguishes one day of imperfect work, ushers in another 
day of more 'perfect work — that the lower orders of life precede the 
higher, and that the great organic periods come after the inorganic. 

It is so in nature. The night has its pall thrown over it, a 
morning of imperfect light succeeds, and then the bright and 
perfect day. Night is the time of gestation and j)repara- 
tion for the coming day. The earth in its revolutions is 
shrouded in darkness and night, but the sun arises, there 
is alternate day and night, darkness and light. Day has al- 
ways followed night. We may indeed hear the lamentations 
of patriotism in Demosthenes, in the Roman poets, and in the 
Jev*'ish prophets; for these are the sensitive spirits that ob- 
serve the national calamities. But if Demosthenes felt his 
spirit overwhelmed, at the sight of the departing glory of Ath- 
ens ; if Jeremiah cursed the day of his birth, because he saw 
the chosen race forsaken of God, yet their night was only the 
evening. that preceded another and a brighter morning. "At 
evening time there shall be light." 

As a people we were intoxicated with prosperity, elated be- 
yond all precedent. It was necessary that a night of grief 
should settle down upon us, and sober us, that wo may be calm 
and prayerful and look for a day of greater glory that will as- 
suredly succeed this night. But we must cease all crimination 
and recrimination, not bite nor devour one another, nor split 
into factions and parties. God means this afflictive event for 
the good of us ail, to bi-ing us through the night of national 



13 

darknesB, to onjoy a future in our history of greater and more 
glorious prosperity than we have ever possessed before. Wash- 
ington laid the foundation, did his duty, served his country, 
died, and has gone to his reward. Lincoln has written hia 
name on the hearts of thousands and tens of thousands of his 
countrymen, and when the earth and the sea shall give np their 
dead, ton thousand times ten thousand shall rise up and call 
him blessed for that Proclamation of Emancipation which has 
sent its thrill of joy throughout the world. Could the poor Af- 
ricans of the United States be permitted to raise their voice 
they would call him their Moses. No more shall the lash of 
the cruel master be heard as it falls on the back of the poor 
African. Who was the cause of the abolition of slavery in the 
Dist. of Columbia? Who issued the glorious Proclamation which 
proclaimed liberty to millions of captives, and raised the note 
of universal liberty throughout our beloved country? Abra- 
ham Lincoln. Great, grand, glorious and immortal will be his 
name. 

4. Bxit another lesson taught us by this event is, that the way to 
distinction and to glory is through great tribulation. 

This is exemplified in the history of individuals, as well as of 
nations. Who has over arisen to a position of distinction but 
through much care and toil and suffering? Even so in the his- 
tory of the Church, and the race of mankind. It was necessa- 
ry that "one man should die for tho pins of the people." God 
gave his only begotten Son, who suffered, died, was raised and 
glorified. And because He lives we shall live also. "If we suf- 
fer with him we shall also reign with him." "We shall be glor- 
ified together." So with this nation to-day. What were we 
in the beginning — what are v/e now? What a night of dark- 
ness during the Revolution ! What a long day of light and na- 
tional prosperity succeeded ! And now again, followed by an- 
other night of revolution. What tribulations have we passed 
through in tho last four years? One can hardly believe that 
they are real, that wo have not been passing through a fever- 
ish dream. How steadily was the nation going on until this 
night of war and bloodshed settled upon us. How many thou- 
sands and tens of thousands of valuable lives have been sacri- 
ficed ; lives, of our fathers, sons and brothers. How they 
have fallen, and are buried on Southern battle-fields! But that 
is not all, nor the worst feature in this night of great tribula- 
tion. The nation must be baptized in the blood of our Chief 
Magistrate. Our glorious flag must be draped in sadness and 
mourning. From Maine to the Gulf, one universal wail of sor- 
row must be heard. But we shall wipe away our tears and 



14 

rally around our blood-stained banner and wash ont its stains. 
The terrible and foul deed which breaks the nation's heart to- 
day, was the result of a dark and deep laid plot of more than 
four years concocting. The mean, pitiful, corrupt and fiendish 
perpetrator of the murder, was only the diabolical tool of a 
gang of murderers. The plot was not his. It originated in 
the councils of the notorious Knights of the Golden Circle. The 
lot only fell on him to perform the part of the Assassin, and 
carry out their hellish purpose. And so crazed was he that ho 
forget the year, and enquired is it 1864 or 1865? He carried 
out their spirit — the spirit of treason. 

5. But this darkness shall not impede, but hasten the nation's lat- 
ter day glory. 

When the awful storm at sea gathers round the foundering 
bark, and the tempest rages, and the night is dark, and there 
is '-danger on the deep," and the agonizing cry is heard abovo 
the wind — "the Captain is overboard — the Captain is lost," — 
then it is that officers and men rally more firmly together on 
the sinking ship. You have heard the tale of the noble and 
trustful boatswain. Wild was the raging storm, and fearful, 
the foaming and and angry billows that dashed against that 
boat; dark and fearful forebodings blanched every cheek. The 
Captain gave up all for lost, and locked up hiraslf in his 
room. The night was one of pitchy darkness and gloom. One 
terrible sea came rushing over, a yawning gtilf seemed ready 
to swallow up all. But that wave broke over that trembling 
vessel, and as she reeled and righted up, unharmed and safe, 
the confiding boatswain exclaimed ! "Blessed be God, all is 
well." 

Citizens of America, all will yet be right. Gather around the 
memory of our fathers. They were men 'of nerve. Let us 
prove ourselves their sons. Let this noble flag be still thrown 
to the breeze: the storm may rage, and all seem dark and dis- 
mal, but this wave of woe now passing over us will roll the 
National ship into the port of quietude and peace. "At even- 
ing time there shall be light." 

The nation has made great progress under the administra- 
tration of our late lamented President. The rebellion is almost 
crushed. The rebel armies are no more, their Capital has fal- 
len and their leaders flying. Abraham Lincoln had almost 
seen the end, was almost ready to publish a Proclamation of 
Peace, but did not live to do so. And yet it shall be done. Let 
us then adore the wisdom and goodness of God. He foresees 
all contingencies and provides for them. His wisdom may see 
some things to be best for a short time, to answer certain tem- 
porary purposes, which would not be good for continuance. 
When the present appointment shall have answered the end 
for which it was determined, a new one, to which that was pre- 
paratory, takes place. The two arrangements may appear con- 



16 

tradictory to us, while at the Bametime they are perfectly con- 
sistent in the mind of a being who sees all at once, and "calls 
things that are not, as though they were." God's view of all 
men, and all events throughout all ages, is one clear, distinct, 
simultaneous view. Infinite Knowledge takes in the present, 
past and future, in one comprehensive survey, pierces through 
all distance at a glance, and collects all ages into the focus of 
the existing moment. God lives and holds the reins in his own 
hand. He has not delegated his authority to the oppressor, 
though he may sometimes employ him as an instrument of cor- 
rection. And it may be that we stood in need of chastisement, 
and that those deadly instruments that are allowed to deluge the 
nation with blood, may be, in the scheme of Divine Providence, 
unintentionally preparing the elements of moral beauty and 
grandeur. When the divine displeasure has made barren a 
truitful land, "for the wickedness of them that dwell therein," 
the plough-share and the harj-ow, which are sent to tear up the 
unproductive soil, know not that they are providing for the 
hand of tiie sower, who is following their rude traces in order 
to scatter the seeds of riches and fertility. 

In this dark national calamity let us not trust to man, nor 
in the institutions of men, but in God. Let this dark day be a 
day of hope, a day of prayer. It is now evening, it is neither 
day nor night, the light is not clear. But even at midnight 
the earth is turning toward the sun, and above this dark cano- 
py there is sunlight, broad, peaceful, glorious sunlight. It is 
not in us, it is not in human institutions, it is not in our gov- 
ernment, but it is in the Heavens above. Let us keep bright 
and fresh the nation's motto, "In God is our trust." Lotus 
pray that the sovereignty of the Federal Government may bo 
acknowledged and respected by every American citizen, and 
that we may have a united nationality whose vital element 
shall be, that "righteousness which exalteth a nation," and a 
union of freedom and of power, that shall be a terror to all ty- 
rants and despots, and the glory of all lands. God save the 
Union ! 

With the wreck of this Union would go down, in scattered 
fragments, some of the brightest hopes of the American people, 
with regard to that speedy redemption which God was hasten- 
ing through our instrumentality as a nation. Dissolve this 
Union, and you throw back the sun of civilization and redemp- 
tion a thousand years on the dial-plate of time, and arrest one 
of the mightiest tides of influence and moral power, that Prov- 
idence has ever put in motion for the accomplishment of his 
purposes. Who then can even imagine the awful disaster to 
this country should this Union be severed? What ought to be 
the funeral obseqiues? Let the Sun give no lighten that day. 
Let the two oceans that embrace her, dirge her doom in meae- 



16 

ured moans that ehall meet in mid air, until an awe-struck 
world shall listen and weep. Let patriots of this and all lands 
come forth with tears. Let the spirits of the mighty dead de- 
Bcend to close her eyes and wrap her in her winding sheet. — 
God of our fathers, forbid such a result ! 

Our only hope is, that the Prince of Peace stands upon these 
raging billows as he stood upon the stormy billows of the ra- 
ging sea of Gallilee ,saying, "Peace be still." And it it shall be 
80, that the angry waters shall heed his voice, then shall it be 
like the remarshaling of the very stars in their courses, and 
the restoration of a disturbed gravitation to a universe, and 
the nations of earth shall listen again to more than the fabled 
ro.u8ic of the spheres. If it shall be so, then shall our love and 
common patriotism be the stronger by reason of the fiery ordeal 
through which they have passed. Then shall we as a free, 
powerful, united, christian nation reorganize our forces against 
sin and despotism, and every form of tyranny over the human 
mind ; then shall we be ready to enter again upon our high 
historic mission — the civil and religious emancipation and 
redemption of the nations of the earth. Then shall the tem- 
ple of Janus be closed, not only at Rome, but in every walled 
town and war station on the globe, and the watch-fires of rev- 
olution shall be put out on every mountain top, and the war- 
cry shall b« hushed in every valley. Fraternal bleod no more 
shall stain the friendly earth, nor the welkin ring with the 
shock of battle. Then indeed shall 

"Peace o'er the world her olive wand extsnd, 
And white-robed innocence from heaven descend." 
For a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shalT rule 
in judgment. Then ?hall the nations learn war no more. They 
shall beat thoir swords into plough-shares, and their spears in- 
to pruning hooks ; and the wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and 
the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the 
lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. 
They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, for 
the knowledge of the Lord shall cover the earth, as th« waters 
cover the sea. 

Yes this shall come to pass, for God hath promised it, "a day 
known to the Lord." "At evening time there shall be light." 
It shall come, for Christ must reign until He hath put all en- 
emies under his feet. The grand and glorious chorus of the 
skies must yet be sung by a redeemed and emancipated earth. 
The jubilant shout shall" ascend |over,!coTjtinents, and islands, 
and seas, and run along all the paths of sound, until it shall be 
heard thrilling at the gates of light — "Now is come freedom 
and strength and salvation to all the nations of the earth, and 
the kingdoms of this world have become the kingdom of our 
God and of Hig Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever." 



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